


When The Music’s Over

by merycula (thanksillpass)



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-16
Updated: 2015-02-04
Packaged: 2018-03-07 20:12:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3181637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thanksillpass/pseuds/merycula
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aomine has a band, Kuroko is dating his bassist, and Kise doesn't even like rock.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Kise simply couldn’t believe the news when he heard them. Kurokocchi was dating the bassist of Aominecchi’s band; how  _cliché_  was that? Ryouta knew he should have never allowed his innocent, impressionable best friend to go to that concert, but Aominecchi  _tricked_  him, and the next thing Kise knew was Kurokocchi being exposed to the debauchery of smelly clubs and mediocre rock bands.

Ryouta has never cared much for Aominecchi’s band – they hadn’t kept that much in touch since middle school, and it was decidedly not his type of music. But ever since Kurokocchi fell into the evil clutches of Generation of Miracles, which was probably the most pretentious name for a band, Kise  _had to_  get involved, his delicate ears be damned. Someone had to keep an eye on Kagamicchi.

Kurokocchi was reluctant to take him to a concert at first, but Ryouta had a way of tiring people down that even his best friend wasn’t immune to. Kise didn’t know exactly what he was expecting of Kagamicchi, but it was definitely more weird piercings and less muscles; maybe he had unconsciously imagined a copy of Aominecchi, who had so much metal in his face it made Ryouta’s own go numb.

But Kagami Taiga looked so ordinary it was almost painful. Sure, he was probably a sight  _naked,_  judging by his exposed arms, but wearing a ratty t-shirt and unflattering pair of jeans, he didn’t seem like anything special. Kise hummed, blatantly eyeing Kagami from every angle, ignoring the way he seemed to fume with embarrassment and discomfort, until Kurokocchi poked him in the back.

“Don’t stare, Kise-kun,” he deadpanned. “I will get jealous.”

Kise sighed, crossing his arms on his chest. “You said he was an eleven, Kurokocchi. What I see is an eight, at best. Though I’d cut him half a point for the eyebrows. They’re weird.”

“Hey, I am literally  _right_  here!” protested Kagami, his face completely red from embarrassment.

“You simply aren’t seeing  _much,_  Kise-kun,” explained Kuroko, ignoring his boyfriend.

Kagami spluttered indignantly, turning even deeper shade of red, which Ryouta didn’t think was even possible. He pursed his lips, watching Kagamicchi threaten his boyfriend with bodily harm only to earn himself a swift jab in the ribs, which instantly brought a smile to Kise’s face. Finally convinced Kurokocchi was going to be absolutely fine, he decided to turn his attention to the rest of the band.

He saw a pink-haired girl in pants even tighter than Aominecchi’s and hoop earrings the size of small melons, bossing everyone around with the gentlest of smiles, which probably meant she was their infamous manager, Momoi. He waved, forcing on a smile despite the chill running down his spine, and she waved back with the hand she wasn’t using to try and rip Aominecchi’s ear off, still smiling.

Kise would probably act on his urge to save Aomine if someone hadn’t suddenly ram into him from the side, making him lose balance. A cheeky girl with an apocalypse where her hair was supposed to be grinned at him as she fixed her glasses, and bowed courteously in apology before running off on her merry way, closely followed by a tall and angry looking girl with a long green braid. Kise sighed.

“Can this thing start already so I can go home?” he whined to one in particular.

“What’s stopping you now?”

Kise turned around abruptly, trying to locate the source of the low, raspy voice. Narrowing his eyes, he established it must have come from the back, where a short-haired guy in a baggy plaid shirt was tuning his guitar, not lifting his head to look at Ryouta. The guitarist didn’t wait for an answer either, unceremoniously getting up and walking over to Momoicchi before Kise could even utter a word.

Suddenly, everything turned into chaos, and Kuroko was dragging him out of the way. The next thing Ryouta knew, they were in front of the stage, swallowed by the crowd way more excited than GoM deserved, in his opinion. The first thing he noticed, after the sensory overload has subsided enough for Kise to pay attention to his surrounding, was how cool Aominecchi looked behind the percussion.

Embarrassed by his momentary lapse in judgment, he shifted his eyes to the lead singer with the apocalypse in her hair, who lacked the glasses he’s seen her wear earlier. Instinctively, he turned his gaze to the green girl on the keyboard, currently in possession of those, and everything made sense all of the sudden. Grinning despite himself, he spared Kagamicchi a glance, before focusing on  _him._

The guitarist was wearing a baseball cap on his head, so his face was obstructed from Ryouta’s view, but the rolled-up sleeves of his plaid revealed the tattooed forearms that made Kise’s mouth water for some reason. He really  _wasn’t_  into this kind of music, but he found himself tuning out everything except the sound of the guitar, enthralled by the movement of the calloused fingers on the strings.

He didn’t even notice when it was all over. He was still dazed when Kurokocchi dragged him to the backstage again, a goofy smile plastered to his lips. When he came to, the next band was playing already, and the Miracles were chattering loudly, laughing and shoving at each other, sweat and adrenaline filling the air. Ryouta shook off his daze and started looking around for the guitarist.

“Where is he?”

Kagami raised an eyebrow, his hand stilling in Kuroko’s hair. “Where is who?”

“The guitarist!” shouted Kise excitedly, nearly vibrating out of his skin.

“Kasamatsu?” quipped the singer. “Getting changed, I think? Hi, by the way, welcome back in the world of the living! I’m Takao and this is Shin-chan! Sorry for bumping into you earlier!”

She was promptly corrected by her green friend, who explicitly stated she would not be called anything other than her real name, which was Midorima. Kise only nodded absentmindedly, still distracted by the distinct lack of the only person he actually wanted to talk to, Kasamatsu. Not even Kurokocchi blatantly undressing Kagami with his eyes could hold Ryouta’s attention at the moment.

“Sure, yeah, hi. Does it usually take Kasamatsu-san long to change? Because I really need to talk to him. He’s so amazing and he needs to  _know!_  Like, I don’t even  _like_  this music but he just- so amazing, wow. Wow, I think I  love him.”

If Kise was more aware of his surroundings, he would notice the way in which Kagamicchi and Midorima paled, while Takao tried her best not to choke on laughter. The only warning was Aominecchi’s pained groan, followed by a strong kick to Kise’s butt and a pained groan of his own. Landing face-first on the dirty floor, Ryouta scrambled to get up, but a foot on his back stopped him.

“Oi, brat, I’m a  _girl!_ ”

Kise froze, surrendering to the pressure of Kasamatsu’s leg pinning him to the floor. He could barely turn his face to the side to catch a glimpse of the guitarist, now wearing sweatpants and a very, very tight tank-top that made Ryouta swallow. He faintly noticed that the tattoos went up all the way up to her shoulders, and whimpered. Takao finally burst out laughing, and Kasamatsu stepped off Kise.

“Who is this guy?” she demanded.

Ryouta whined, rubbing his back as he got up. “I’m Kurokocchi’s friend…?”

“Ugh. Great. Hope you’re not here to follow in his footsteps, because the only single people here are me and Aomine.”

“Hey,  _I’m_ single!” objected Takao.

Kasamatsu sent her a pitying look. “You’re really, really not… God, I’m starving, let’s get something to eat. No footsies under the table this time, Kuroko, because I am  _not_  above kicking your boyfriend out of the band.”

“Hey, this is  _my_  band!” protested Aomine.

Kasamatsu sent him a pitying look as well. “It’s really, really not… God, I will literally eat Midorima if I’m not in a diner in five minutes. Let’s get going, people!”

And that’s how Kise Ryouta fell in love. 


	2. Chapter 2

Aomine had a pretty good life. Or rather, he  _used to_  have a pretty good life. At this point, it was starting to slowly fall apart. Satsuki was even more unbearable ever since Kasamatsu took over his band, because suddenly they had  _goals_  now,  _aspirations._  Pff, those women took the fun out of everything they touched, and Daiki would gladly devote himself to ruining their lives in turn, but he had more, ever bigger problems.

Namely, their new bassist, whom he hated with passion, not only because he was banging Aomine’s friend from middle school, but also because he  _was,_ period. Daiki just hated his guts to the point he  _missed_  Wakamatsu, the previous bane of his existence. It was instinct that he didn’t feel like fighting, especially since the newly-formed couple’s PDA made him remember that he couldn’t remember when was the last time he got laid.

He was in a fucking band, for Christ’s sake, his dick should be  _limping!_ Instead, everyone  _except_  him seemed to regularly have their brains screwed out. Well, maybe with the exception of Midorima, who was most likely going to die a proud virgin, and Kasamatsu, who probably had fangs in her vagina and the only person who wanted to fuck her was Kise. Which, judging by the current state of things, just wasn’t happening, ever.

“It’s sad to watch, really,” he announced to no one in particular, chugging at his beer.

Kasamatsu, uncomfortably bent in her chair since she had her heavy boot pressed to Kise’s chest in order to keep him at bay, flipped Aomine off, making him grin. Tired of watching Kise try and rub himself on Kasamatsu like some pathetic, overgrown cat, Daiki shifted his gaze to Midorima. If he was a better friend he would talk to her, because even someone as dense as him could tell she was depressed, drinking in complete silence.

“Jealous, Aomine?” prompted Kagami all of the sudden, which reeked of bullshit.

“Of?” he challenged. “The one having to deal with Kise or the one having to deal with  _being_  Kise?”

“Mean, Aominecchi!” complained Kise, offended to the point of actually forgetting about Kasamatsu for an entire second. “Don’t try to make me look bad in front of Yukiocchi!”

Kasamatsu punched him in the shoulder, an angry blush on her cheeks. “Call me that one more time, I dare you. And I already know how annoying you are, so nothing that idiot says even matters.”

Aomine rolled his eyes. Truth be told, he was fairly sure that Kasamatsu was soon going to have Kise’s name tattooed on her bony ass or something, but the process between now and then was still just sad to watch. For a moment, he wanted to go dance with Takao and Satsuki, but it required effort he wasn’t willing to make just to run away from the annoying people at the table. Why was no one bothering Midorima, anyway?

“Sakurai-san is staring at you again, Aomine-kun,” pointed out Kuroko suddenly.

Daiki narrowed his eyes at Tetsu first, just to let him know how much he didn’t appreciate his input, and then glanced in the direction of the bar. The bartender was staring at him alright, spooked by being noticed, like always, and it made Aomine feel smug. But he could feel Kuroko’s smirk in his bones, too, so he glared at his friend, who looked like virtue incarnate, sitting innocently in Kagami’s lap, that conniving  _fraud._

“How do you even  _know_  that name, Tetsu? You creep~”

Kuroko clicked his tongue. “I resent that.  _Some_  people are capable of having a simple, idle conversation, you know. I merely asked.”

“That a guy or a girl?” blurted out Kagami suddenly, angling his head to take a better look at Sakurai. “I really can’t tell.”

Kuroko shrugged. “It never occurred to me to ask  _that,_  if I’m completely honest.”

“Doesn’t matter,” said Daiki lightly, mirroring Tetsu’s shrug. “Cute is cute. And into  _me._  I’d high-five myself if it didn’t make me look like an idiot, and I don’t wanna high-five any of you losers. Where is Satsuki when I need her.”

Kasamatsu shook her head slowly, gaping at him in disbelief. “How did you even manage not to get punched for long enough to form a band?”

Daiki ignored her for the sake of casually leaning back in his chair and winking at Sakurai, whom he caught staring again. What followed was a sound of breaking glass and an endless strings of apologies coming out of the bartender’s mouth, which made Aomine chuckle so hard, he  _nearly_  tipped his chair over and fell. That didn’t happen, obviously, but it didn’t stop Kagami and Kise from laughing like lunatics.

“Oh, shut up, assholes,” he hissed. “I didn’t  _fall!_  Shut up already! Ugh, I hope your dicks fall off…”

Even Midorima smirked, poorly disguising her snort as a coughing fit, and that’s when Satsuki and Takao decided to come back from the dance floor, panting around their grins. Takao immediately got curious about the incredible event that made her Shin-chan laugh, and Tetsu was more than happy to provide the information. Soon, the girls were laughing with everyone else, and Daiki couldn’t help but blush in embarrassment.

“ _And_  your vaginas,” he sneered. “I fucking hate all of you, I’m going to get a drink.”

Still flushed hot and nearly blinded with futile anger, he completely forgot that in order to get a drink he would have to  _talk_  to Sakurai, who was the reason for the entire mess. Awkwardly rubbing his neck to relieve some tension, he waited for the bartender to notice him, hoping it would take long enough for Aomine to lose the humiliating blush, but Sakurai’s surprised squeak came much earlier than anticipated.

“A-a-a-aomine-san! The usual? Ah, I’m sorry! What can I get you?”

Daiki raised an eyebrow, momentarily forgetting about his pathetic state. “You know my usual?”

“I’m sorry! I’m really sorry! I just have a good memory and you’re regulars, so- I’m sorry! I’ll get you your drink now!”

Aomine blinked slowly, kind of awestruck by the general weirdness that was Sakurai, but it passed while he was watching shaking hands pour his drink, which only proved furthermore that Daiki was in far better state. He couldn’t help but follow Sakurai’s movements with his eyes; he really  _couldn’t_  tell if the bartender was a girl or a guy. It really didn’t matter all that much, but he let his curiosity get the better of him.

“Hey, what’s your first name?” he asked.

Sakurai almost spilled the drink while turning around abruptly. “Yes, I’m sorry! Ryou!”

Daiki paid for the drink, trying not to look too disappointed upon hearing the unisex name. There really wasn’t any subtle way of asking that, and while Aomine wasn’t a subtle guy, Ryou’s gender really didn’t matter to him enough to ruin the conversation before it even started. He glanced at his table to make sure no one would bother them, but everyone seemed to be having great fun without him. Which  _didn’t_  sting.

“So why do you keep staring at me?”

By the way Ryou’s eyes widened in terror, Daiki guessed it might have not been the best ice-breaker he could go for, but there was no use crying over spilled milk. He had to patiently wait for the answer, because Ryou  _was_  at work, and the bar they frequented wasn’t a rundown slum but a respectable and popular place, but he suspected the answer could be interesting, considering how scared Ryou was of giving it.

“I’m sorry! I really am! I didn’t think you would notice!”

“Really? Because you’re pretty obvious about it. Even the new guy who looks _only_  at our guitarist noticed, and I’m way less dumb. Probably.”

“I’m so sorry! I’m sorry! Please, forgive me!”

Ryou was bowing at this point, making quite a scene, and Aomine got worried that would attract unwanted attention of his band members, or worse, Tetsu – that guy was a merciless teaser and even Daiki wasn’t that strong. He decided to sell Ryou some cheap line about being willing to forgive the stares for a phone number, or something, but the bartender suddenly disappeared, probably to serve someone else.

“Aomine-san, I am so sorry!” blurted out Ryou suddenly, startling him. “I can explain! I didn’t mean to, it’s just- I really want to draw you, I’m so sorry!”

Aomine could feel his own jaw drop slowly in complete and utter shock. “Draw.”

“Yes! Your face! It’s just so…  _unique!_  I just really want to draw it! So I’m sorry for staring, I can’t help it!”

Daiki’s ears kept ringing long after he realized how spectacularly he has misinterpreted Ryou’s interest. The humiliation and shock rendered him completely speechless and motionless, and he could only muster enough strength to hope that his band hadn’t heard what the bartender said. Of, course, when the ringing in his ears stopped, Aomine realized how perfectly silent his table was, which spoke for itself.

Takao suddenly snorted, and everything went to hell. 


	3. Chapter 3

Midorima never actually wanted to be in a rock band, surrounded by incompetent idiots who didn’t have a care in the world. She wasn’t punk at all, she was supposed to be a classical pianist, and she often wondered how she ended up where she was. The reasons were countless, of course, but everything amounted to just one person in the end – Takao.

When Midorima wasn’t accepted into her dream school, she had to reevaluate her life goals, and in order to do that, she couldn’t be around her parents, who nothing but reminded her of her failure. Moving out was easier than she thought, but she was aimless, depressed, frustrated; every day. Only playing the piano standing in the hall of her hotel soothed her.

She was startled when Takao sneaked up on her playing for the first time. Midorima recognized her, because their rooms faced each other, and it was impossible to forget the abomination that was Takao’s hair. Midorima didn’t like the frivolous type, and judging by the amount of women she’s seen her neighbor see off in the middle of the day, Takao was exactly that.

“You’re good, do you wanna be in my band?”

Midorima was so surprised, she missed her note so spectacularly that she could almost hear Chopin turn in his grave. She glared at Takao, who was rocking on the balls of her feet and grinning mischievously, which sent an unfamiliar shiver down Midorima’s spine. She swallowed around the tightness in her throat and shaped her lips to form a firm “no.”

“Sure,” she said instead, to her own surprise.

Takao’s grin got even wider. “Great! We’re gonna have to do to something about your clothes, though. You look older than the guys whose music you play~”

Midorima huffed at the blatant insult to her closet, which was elegant and modest, and not old-fashioned  _at all,_  and promptly refused to implement any changes to her appearance. Takao brushed her off with an obnoxious laugh and told her to be ready at noon to meet the band. She skipped off, laughing happily all the while, to Midorima’s bewilderment.

She barely slept that night, raking her mind in search of the reason for her own inexplicable behavior, and she was forced to greet Takao in her fluffy frog bathrobe. Her neighbor didn’t seem to even notice and she unceremoniously dragged Midorima across the hall to her room and started fitting clothes to her tense body, softly humming an unknown tune.

“Your clothes will never fit me,” observed Midorima blankly.

Takao stuck out her tongue. “One of my girlfriends left those, should fit you just fine~ Don’t worry, I washed them.”

“Can you even call them girlfriends?” muttered Midorima petulantly before she could stop herself.

Takao’s hands faltered momentarily and she shrugged. “They’re girls, they’re friends. Why, jealous, Shin-chan?”

Midorima flushed and spluttered indignantly at both the nickname and the implication. She didn’t have the opportunity to ask how Takao even knew her first name, too busy being absolutely outraged at the choice of attire presented before her. Takao pointed out that it was just a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, not a leather scene costume.

“You know, I’d honestly climb you like a tree, but that’s because I have a vivid imagination, Shin-chan,” stated Takao camly. “You need to show off more, because normal people won’t see how good-looking you are under your librarian clothes. Though that’d be pretty hot under right circumstances, too~”

Midorima didn’t even have any energy left to be embarrassed, that’s how exhausting exposure to Takao was, so she just gave up resisting, let Takao dress her up and take her to meet the band, the member of which she would become. Midorima let her drag her around everywhere ever since, she even let her dye her green, for heaven’s sake.

It was just a way to deal with the pointlessness of her existence, at first. But she began to enjoy her new lifestyle, including using her talent to play on an idiotic electronic machine to please an intoxicated crowd. She’s grown attached to everyone in the band, more than she was comfortable to admit – they became something akin to a family.

Thus, when she hear from the school that has previously rejected her, her world was turned upside down, to put it mildly. She knew everyone could tell something was wrong, but everyone has always respected her privacy, just like they accepted her obsession with horoscopes, impractical lucky items, and everything else about her, for that matter.

She looked at her friends, rowdy and carefree as always, and she felt her lips turn upward. No one paid her any mind when she went to the bathroom, busy teasing Aomine’s artsy bartender. Miracles were clearly warming up to Sakurai, just like they warmed up to Kise, and Midorima couldn’t even remember the band before Kagami and Kuroko.

They would be completely fine without her, was what she thought as she passed Murasakibara on her way to the toilet. They exchanged nods, andMidorima already knew that the bouncer would wait for her by the door to talk. She didn’t hate her – she was quiet, which suited her, and lazy, which mildly annoyed her, but she was good at her job nonetheless.

“Mido-chin, you look gloomy,” stated Murasakibara unceremoniously. “Finally fed up with Taka-chin sleeping around?”

Midorima rolled her eyes – she was way past getting irritated every time someone insinuated that she and Takao were an item. She understood where they were coming from, she wasn’t an idiot, but it still seemed ludicrous to her, considering that Takao never actually changed her adventurous ways since meeting Midorima those many months ago.

“I’m thinking of quitting the band,” she confessed.

It felt good to finally say it, and relief instantly washed over her, as if a great burden was lifted off her shoulders. Murasakibara was a stranger enough not to interfere in any way, but a friend enough to understand what it meant to Midorima. She nodded in acknowledgment and offered her a chip in an awkward attempt to show her support.

“What did you just say?”

Midorima flinched when she heard Takao’s unusually cold voice. She faintly registered Murasakibara fleeing with the trademark “arara” on her lips, as she turned around to face her friend. Takao was almost unrecognizable with the expression of pure shock donning her features, and Midorima’s heart began to hammer uncontrollably.

“The school I didn’t get in before offered me to try again,” she said in a deceptively calm tone.

She watched Takao’s face closely, as an array of emotions flashed across it, from hurt to acceptance to sadness to resignation. Finally, Takao forced on a smile for her sake, and it wasn’t bright and it didn’t reach her eyes, but she playfully shoved at Midorima ’s shoulder and patted her back anyway. Midorima felt a little bit sick.

“That’s amazing, Shin-chan!” said Takao, her voice cracking. “All you ever wanted, right? This whole band thing’s always been just temporary anyway… To be honest, I’m surprised you survived this long with us, haha~”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

Takao sighed, not even bothering with a smile. “Maybe, but we both know what’s your decision’s gonna be, Shin-chan. And it’s a right one. You’re wasting your talent here.”

Midorima knew it was true, and her old self wouldn’t have any qualms about admitting it. But she was less self-centered now, and less selfish, and she didn’t want to hurt Takao any more than she’s already have. She gritted her teeth when Takao took her hand, giving it a short but firm squeeze, and dragged her back to the table.

“Come on, Shin-chan, let’s get something to drink to celebrate! We need to figure out how to break the news to the rest of the guys without getting you killed, hehe! And how to turn your hair back to boring, but baby steps~”

Midorima shut her eyes to keep the tears at bay.


	4. Chapter 4

Yukio groaned softly when the discomfort of the heavy weight pressing her into the bed became too unbearable to sleep. She was confused for a brief moment, instinctively trying to push away the well-defined arm thrown across her shoulders, but she remembered everything even before she wriggled onto her back and angled her head to look at Kise’s sleeping face.

An embarrassing sound escaped her as she hid her face in her hands, heat coiling in the pit of her stomach, because  _goddamn_  if Kise didn’t know how to put his usually infuriating enthusiasm to good use,  _thank god._  Kasamatsu still felt tingly all over, and the more awake she was, the more convinced she became that she was never going to walk again.

There was a voice in the back of her head which reminded her that Kise was going to insufferable from now on, but she couldn’t bring herself to mind. She would like to be able to tell herself that Kise had a way of tiring people down, but that was bullshit – she was just as in deep as Kise always claimed he was. And he definitely proved  _that_  alright last night.

He followed Yukio home under the pretense of helping her transport the equipment, and she was too shaken to get rid of him. Midorima quit the band, and while Kasamatsu understood and supported her completely, it didn’t change the fact that they were left hanging at a critical moment in their dubious career, and Yukio was at a loss.

“I can do it!” offered Kise, wringing a bitter chuckle out of her. “I can learn! I will learn anything if you ask me to!”

Despite herself, Kasamatsu was grateful and overcome with affection for that insanely devoted, overgrown puppy, and in order to hide that, she was about to suggest that Kise learned how to shut up, but she kissed him instead. Things escalated pretty quickly from there, thanks to  _weeks_  of unresolved tension and pent-up frustration.

She felt guilty, for allowing herself a bit of comfort and happiness while everything seemed to crumble around her, but when Kise whimpered softly and blindly reached out for her, that guilt seemed to evaporate entirely. She hid her smile in the crook of Kise’s neck as he instinctively closed his arms tightly around her, sighing contentedly.

Judging by the flutter in her stomach it caused, Yukio was in  _so_  much trouble, and she couldn’t help but worry about the morning-after conversation that Kise would probably insist on, forcing Kasamatsu to actually  _talk_  about her feelings. But he went down on her first thing after waking up and didn’t demand anything she wasn’t willing to offer.

She was dazed for the entire day, unable to focus on anything important, and she obviously took it out on Kise, even if her kicks and punches lacked their usual fervor. Everyone was kind of a mess, their moods varying from dejected to furious, and for the first time since joining, Yukio honestly wanted Aomine to take responsibility for  _his_  band.

“I have a cousin who can play the keyboard,” said Kagami. “He doesn’t have, like, a freak talent like Midorima, but he’s good. Should I give him a call?”

Someone must have said yes, because Kagami and Kuroko were suddenly gone, Aomine was dragging Kise off to get hammered, probably, and Kasamatsu was left alone with Momoi and Takao, who  _seemed_  perfectly fine, humming as usual. But the moment Yukio exchanged looks with Momoi, she knew they were staging an intervention.

“Who’s up for a girls night?” asked Momoi lightly, throwing her arm over Takao’s shoulder.

Takao raised a curious eyebrow. “Ice-cream and rom-coms or booze and porn kind of girls night?”

“Definitely booze,” decided Yukio immediately. “Lots and lots of it. I need a fucking break.”

Momoi’s apartment was probably Kasamatsu’s favorite place and it’s oddly calming interior always drained the tension right out of her, but it still took her a few beers before she finally let herself relax completely. Momoi was almost offended, considering how hard she worked at turning the place into an oasis for the mind, and Takao tried to placate her.

“It’s not you, it’s her,” she drawled, patting Momoi’s knee. “She just needs to get laid. You know, my offer still stands, Kasamatsu-senpai~!”

Yukio snorted into her beer. “No, I- I’ve got that covered, thanks.”

“You don’t mean-” blurted out Momoi, almost falling off the bed. “You and Ki-chan…?”

“No way!” whined Takao. “I saw you  _first!_  I will hang him by the balls, I swear!”

Kasamatsu rolled her eyes, trying her best to hide her grin, but she was soon spluttering at the onslaught of questions way too personal for comfort. Even if it didn’t seem possible, Momoi was even less discrete and more persistent than Takao, and Yukio wasn’t anywhere near drunk enough to deal with that. But Takao was laughing –  _really_  laughing.

Kasamatsu knew no one took Midorima’s quitting as hard as Takao. Everyone was always joking that the two were joined by the hip, that they were an old married couple, but Yukio didn’t find it funny anymore. Considering the circumstances, it was really just sad, how Takao was in denial, before and now, about how much Midorima actually meant to her.

“Ah, too bad Shin-chan can’t hear this!” complained Takao, shocking Kasamatsu by bring the subject up. “She’d be even redder than you are~!”

Momoi cleared her throat awkwardly. “How- how is Midorin?”

“Dunno,” said Takao with a shrug. “She moved back in with her parents, so I haven’t seen her. I’m guessing she got into school if she hasn’t come back crying yet.”

Yukio frowned. “And you’re really okay with that?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? Don’t hit me for saying this, because I know we’re kind of fucked now, but she made the right choice.”

“Yeah but,” tried Momoi again, hiccupping. “Takki, aren’t you… sad? She’s your best friend…”

Takao only shrugged and didn’t offer a reply. They both knew how stubborn she could be, and her poignant silence was a definite sign to change the subject. Momoi tried lightening up the mood by describing her latest awful date, and it squeezed a few genuine chuckles out of Takao; she even jokingly suggested Momoi finally gave up men.

Normally, Kasamatsu would want to stay with them like that forever, bundled up on a huge fluffy bed, gossiping and laughing, but she didn’t feel up to it tonight. It made her feel selfish, but she didn’t want to comfort her friends at the moment – she wanted to  _be_  comforted, spoiled even, forget about her worries – and she immediately thought of Kise.

It was weird, relying on someone like that, especially for things she never really craved that much. It would probably anger her, how Kise messed with her head and turned her into a sentimental mush, but she was pleasantly warm and tipsy, so she reached for her phone. She didn’t know why she was surprised at the amount of texts from Kise.

“Oh, I see how it is~” teased Takao. “Gonna ditch us now that got yourself a boyfriend, huh?”

Yukio wanted to object at the accusation, even more so since it released a wild hoard of butterflies in her stomach, but what she actually  _had to_  protest was Takao snatching the phone from her hands and reading Kise’s drunken ramblings out loud, to Momoi’s delight. Fuming with embarrassment, Kasamatsu covered her ringing ears, vowing to kill Kise.

“Ki-chan really loves you, huh?” muttered Momoi dreamily all of the sudden.

Takao whistled, going through the rest of the messages in silence. “Is he usually this romantic or that’s just his drunken persona? Phew, I didn’t know your  _knees_  were so great, lemme see~!”

Yukio really wanted to die at that point. Unable to form a coherent reply, she got her phone back and turned it off, before throwing herself at Takao and letting her knee get personal with the smug, grinning face. Momoi came to the rescue with a war cry, but she get thrown off the bed for her efforts, which she seemed to find hilarious.

And Kasamatsu was kind of happy, so she laughed too.


	5. Chapter 5

Kagami was currently at a really good place. Kuroko was everything he could ask for and more, Tatsuya replaced Midorima, who never really liked Taiga much and liked reminding him about it, the band was looking at their first record contract, and the biggest of Kagami’s worries were Kuroko’s dog and Aomine being slightly more unbearable than usual because of Sakurai.

They had it figured out much earlier, but Aomine accidentally walked in on him changing ( _allegedly,_  while drunkenly looking for a bathroom) and saw his binder too, so Sakurai had to fill him in. It sucked since it crushed Kagami’s dreams of Aomine awkwardly bringing up the subject after, say, three months, when there was no way to casually ask without making it completely weird.

Sakurai’s intentions still weren’t exactly clear, even for the brighter part of their band, but Aomine was clearly pining, as he started slowly withering away. It wasn’t that anyone  _cared_  about Aomine’s well-being, but they all tried to help steering their relationship on  _some_  kind of path anyway they could, because Aomine sure wasn’t capable of doing that himself.

“Sakurai-kun, would you like to design our album cover?” offered Momoi, on the wave of excitement about the possibility of a contract.

“I’m honored!” yelped Sakurai, eyes widening in surprise. “But I’m sorry! I can’t promise anything, I’m still not done with Aomine-san’s portrait! I’m so sorry!”

“Seriously?” deadpanned Taiga. “He’s not Mona Lisa, you know…”

Aomine shrugged, grinning smugly. “Ryou really loves my face~”

“I’m sorry!” 

Kagami rolled his eyes, but a snide remark died on his lips when he felt Kuroko nudge his ankle under the table. He flushed despite himself, seeing the blatant challenge in Kuroko’s eyes, which made Taiga shiver. He couldn’t believe they were  _still_  in their honeymoon stage, interchangeably holding hands like middle-schoolers and fucking against every flat surface.

There was no putting into words how Kuroko made him feel. He was so in love he couldn’t imagine himself falling out of it, ever. Kuroko was a cheeky little piece of shit who liked riling him up just to see him splutter, but he was also Kagami’s rock, and nothing seemed impossible as long as Kuroko said he could do it. Taiga probably couldn’t live without him anymore.

“They’re at it again, I’m gonna puke,” muttered Kasamatsu suddenly, pulling Kagami out of his daze.

Taiga wanted to object because they really weren’t  _doing_  anything yet, but Kuroko was faster. “Excuse me, Kasamatsu-san, but it wasn’t  _us_  dry humping in the back of the van last night, if I recall correctly.”

Kasamatsu instantly turned red, and a dreamy smile bloomed on Kise’s face, which earned him a kick in the calf and an endless string of insults. Kagami couldn’t help but laugh because, really, those two were something else – until actually catching them in the act, he had no idea anything changed between them, because Kasamatsu was as abusive as always.

If Taiga was more observant, perhaps he would see the subtle change in their typical behavior, like sitting closer to each other. He might notice seemingly accidental brushes of hands, and looks lingering for just a bit too long to be casual, but Kagami didn’t even know that Kuroko liked  _him_  until he was sucker punched, and Kuroko kissed him when he doubled over.

“Sorry I’m late! The bouncer wouldn’t let me in  _again._ ”

All heads instantly turned around to look at Himuro, who was panting slightly around his trademark gentle smile. Tatsuya sat down next to Taiga, helping himself to Sakurai’s drink, instinctively knowing he was the only person who wouldn’t bite his hand off for pulling something like this. Himuro fit right in from the start and it was admittedly a great relief to Kagami.

Momoi giggled. “Mukkun really doesn’t like you~ She didn’t take kindly to you replacing Midorin.”

“I’m not scared of her,” said Tatsuya bravely.

“That’s because you’re an idiot,” decided Taiga. “You should be afraid.”

Murasakibara just might have been  _the_  scariest person Kagami has ever met. He still ineptly tried to cover his eyebrows whenever they interacted, unable to forget how viciously Murasakibara made fun of them. Kuroko had to protect his hair as well, because the bouncer had an awful habit of messing with it, and Taiga was beginning to think Murasakibara hated men.

Apparently, every guy had a piece of advice to offer Himuro, reminding him that she was bigger, stronger, and more skilled in martial arts than him. Even Kasamatsu asked him not to get too cocky, hiding her genuine concern under the guise of being fed up with constantly looking for new band members. Only Momoi seemed to be completely undisturbed.

“Okay, okay, I get it,” interrupted Tatsuya with a sigh. “I’ll try to play nice. To be honest, I’m more worried about Takao. She’s not lurking around the corner to ambush me again, is she?”

“She’s just sulking,” tried Momoi awkwardly, feeling compelled to defend her friend’s behavior.

“The first time on stage she didn’t mention me at all, and last night she introduced me as a cheap Shin-chan’s knock-off…”

Momoi whimpered involuntarily, clearly feeling guilty. “I’ll talk to her, I promise…”

“It’s fine,” assured her Himuro. “I did take place of her girlfriend, right?”

“Midorimacchi wasn’t  _exactly_  her girlfriend,” said Kise carefully. “But it might take Takaocchi a while before she warms up to you…”

The awkward silence that has fallen after that was thankfully interrupted by Sakurai shakily announcing the beginning of his shift, and leaving them to their matters with a soft apology. Everyone remained silent for a while longer, but Tatsuya eventually brought up the subject of the record deal, which slowly awakened enthusiasm in the rest of the band.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here,” pleaded Kasamatsu, the sole voice of reason, as usual. “I wouldn’t trust that guy with a sandwich, let alone our future.”

Kagami couldn’t help but share Kasamatsu’s distrusts, his usually infallible instinct warning him whenever he heard Akashi’s name. The guy was one of the big shots among minor labels, and he had a reputation of always getting what he wanted, but no one knew how much his wishes corresponded with the actual hopes of the bands he took under his wing.

“We should sleep on it,” recommended Aomine, because he considered sleep the cure for everything.

“I agree with Dai-chan, for once,” said Momoi. “This is my official order as the band manager. We’ll meet Akashi-san tomorrow and we’ll take it from there, okay? I’ll let Takki know.”

Taiga got up with a sigh, watching the band scatter lazily as he waited for Kuroko. He could practically see Kise’s tail wagging as he followed Kasamatsu, who kept rolling her shoulders to lose some tension. Aomine went to say goodbye to Sakurai first, which was kind of sickening, and Himuro hovered over Momoi, hoping she’d sneak him past Murasakibara’s careful watch.

“Do you want to stay over tonight, Kagami-kun?”

Feeling warm all over, Kagami simply nodded. They ended up sprawled on the couch in Kuroko’s tiny apartment, with Nigou obediently staying on the floor. If he wasn’t so fired up about tomorrow, Taiga would probably be on the verge of sleep, as Kuroko absentmindedly rubbed his arm, occasionally sighing into Kagami’s chest, gathering his thoughts.

“Don’t rush into anything tomorrow, Kagami-kun” he said finally. “Both you and Aomine-kun are hotheaded idiots, so it’s important you let the grown-ups do the talking, alright?”

“I know, smart-ass,” snorted Taiga, wrapping his arms around Kuroko’s middle. “Can’t help being excited, though. Wonder if I’ll be able to sleep tonight…”

Kuroko lifted his head to look at him with a sly smirk. “I may be able to help with that…”

Kagami only grunted helplessly when he felt Kuroko slowly slide down his body.


	6. Chapter 6

Takao didn’t think she deserved all the misfortune befalling her at the moment. On the other hand, without Shin-chan there to keep her in check and provide her with lucky items, maybe Takao actually did lose all the good fortune she used to be able to count on. It made perfect sense, especially that it put the blame on Midorima.

She understood, rationally, why Shin-chan hasn’t contacted her first – they _were_ friends and Takao knew a thing or two about her. It still pissed her off that Midorima, of all people, was giving her _space_ , because Takao simply didn’t know how to fill it. Perhaps she was too proud to call Shin-chan herself; better proud than _scared shitless_.

It wasn’t that she was drowning her sorrows in booze and women, or anything cliché like that. If anything, it was exactly the opposite, which was probably what made the band so worried about her. But focusing solely on music was really working out for Takao – she devoted herself to hazing their new member and even wrote a few songs.

“They’re really good, Takki!” exclaimed Momoi, flushed with excitement. “With that and Yuki-tan’s material, it’s almost a pity that fishy record deal fell through…”

Takao sighed theatrically. “Yeah, falling in love sure unlocked some creative potential in our Kasamatsu… Plus, it’s hilarious to watch her pretend the songs aren’t about _or_ for Kise-kun~”

Unsurprisingly, Kasamatsu threatened her with bodily harm, especially considering that Kise’s reaction was as excessive as always, but Takao really couldn’t help herself – embarrassing people was how she showed affection! Sometimes she thought only Kuroko-kun understood her, but their rapport was a double-edge sword.

“And for whom are _your_ songs, if I may ask, Takao-san?”

Speak of the devil… Takao screamed internally, but she kept a straight face, not letting her grin fall one bit. She knew what Kuroko was doing, but she absolutely refused to admit that _her_ creative potential was unlocked by the loneliness caused by the sudden lack of what she used to jokingly call a green thorn in her side.

“Ah, you got me!” she squealed, putting her hands on her cheeks and shaking her head in mock embarrassment. “I didn’t dare say anything but- But now the secret’s out! I’m in love in Kagami!”

Predictably, Kagami paled. “What. But I’m gay! _You’re_ gay!”

“Takao-san is just pulling your leg, Kagami-kun,” explained Kuroko, smirking.

“Ah, but it’s not what I _wanna_ be pulling~” teased Takao, relishing Kagami’s horrified reaction.

See, everything was _fine._ She could still laugh genuinely and have fun with her friends – life didn’t _end_ just because Shin-chan wasn’t there anymore. But _fuck_ if she didn’t miss her every day, half-expecting to hear her “I’ll have you know,” or accidentally sit on her lucky item; she knew it was pathetic and she should just _call_ her.

But what if Shin-chan didn’t miss _her?_ What if she was too busy being admired by everyone in her school, or already half through her first world tour, or something like that? Takao would positively _die._ It wasn’t impossible, either, considering how goal-oriented Shin-chan was, and how little she actually _needed_ other people.

Once, there was a fraction of a second when Takao thought she was in love with Midorima. She immediately laughed it off, because Takao just didn’t _do_ love, for one, and definitely not the complicated kind. She liked things simple, and Shin-chan was as ace as they ever came, so that would _never_ be not complicated.

Friends was good – clear-cut and easy, and Takao didn’t have to agonize over the possibility that Midorima has left because she didn’t feel loved enough or something of the sort. They simply went their separate ways to do their own thing, follow different dreams. Takao’s dream was with this band, with or without Shin-chan.

With Akashi out of the picture, the Miracles had to double their efforts in order to get noticed, so the rehearsals and concerts kept Takao busy. She even stopped being a dick for Himuro, but he still wasn’t worthy of the epic introductions that Shin-chan got – he’d never be the long-lost love child of Beethoven and Jon Lord.

“Thanks, guys!” she shouted to the audience, wiping the sweat off her forehead. “You’re almost as great as the people from the next bar over!”

They laughed and cheered, as she knew they would, and it sent a pleasurable shiver down her spine to realize how far they’ve come. It wasn’t the crowd they were aiming for, yet, but they were devoted and generous, and they made all their hard work worthwhile. Suddenly, she decided they deserved to hear her new material first.

She was about to announce one of her new songs, something quirky but generic to speed things up, but the words died on her lips when she noticed Midorima standing in crowd. Takao’s throat closed around a surprised choke, and she almost jumped off the stage right into her arms; she couldn’t _believe_ Shin-chan has kept her hair green.

“So I was thinking,” she managed, clearing her throat. “You guys should hear something _new,_ you know, just to keep you on your toes~ I wrote a song recently, and I need someone else than my mom to tell me how incredibly talented I am, so I’ll be in your care~”

When the laughter died out, she cleared her throat and nodded at Kasamatsu, mouthing the title. It was her favorite song, which started with just quiet vocals and almost melancholic keyboard, slowly building up into something more heavy and angry. Takao wanted to impress Shin-chan with it, and she sure as hell hoped Himuro was up to it.

Her throat was pulsing with pain when she finished, but she couldn’t bring herself to care when the crowd went completely wild. Grinning maniacally, Takao focused back on Midorima, who looked _proud_ , her faint smirk meaning more to Takao than the enthusiastic screams, and she thought, again, that she might love Shin-chan after all.

“That was for you, Shin-chan,” she called out on an impulse, watching Midorima’s face flame up. “Especially the angry screaming part, because you really are fucking infuriating, _I’ll have you know~_ So wanna marry me or something?”

She was mildly distracted by Kasamatsu angrily asking her what the fuck she was doing, but she still managed to notice the plastic cutting board flying right at her, just in time to dodge it. She laughed when she heard Aomine’s pained cry over the confused murmur of the crowd, followed by a string of colorful curses; Shin-chan sure never missed.

When she turned around, Kagami was trying to restrain Aomine from coming off the stage and shoving his drumsticks down Midorima’s throat, and Kasamatsu was tightening her fingers on her own neck to let Takao know what kind of fate was awaiting her. Himuro just winked at her and started playing the fucking _Bridal Chorus._

Takao nearly lost it then, but when Kasamatsu tried to beat Himuro up with her guitar case, she started laughing so hard she almost poked her eye with the mike stand. Then, Kasamatsu just started playing, forcing them to follow up and save themselves some embarrassment, and when Takao looked at the crowd again, Shin-chan was gone.

But in that moment, Takao thought that maybe she could do some complicated.


	7. Chapter 7

Kuroko never liked being in the center of any kind of commotion. For someone who was best friends with a model, dated a bassist, and generally spent most of his time with a rock band, Tetsuya was an avid fan of peace and quiet, and an evening in with a book was still at the top of his list when it came to relaxation. Thus, he was greatly relieved with the eventual end of the various heartthrobs that troubled almost of all of his friends.

Kuroko hated to pry, _truly,_ but the Miracles have always been very open with each other so, really, he didn’t _have to._ Whether he wanted or not, he was fully aware of everyone’s relationship status, which was usually plain to see, despite everyone constantly claiming it was _only_ Tetsuya and Kagami-kun who redefined the meaning of public display of affection, which was nothing but lies and slander, by the current state of things.

Midorima-san guarded herself formidably, but Takao-san could be nearly as overbearing as Kise-kun, who still hasn’t succeeded in completely wearing Kasamatsu-san down, unlike Aomine-kun, who finally managed to advance from longing stares to hand-holding with Sakurai-kun. If Kuroko sounded bitter and hostile, that was because he _was,_ considering he was still mercilessly attacked if he as much as brushed Kagami-kun with his fingers.

Virtually his only ally was Momoi-san, who probably had the most reasons to be jaded, being perpetually single, but she was the kindest soul Tetsuya has ever met, and the last person to take out her frustration on others – in Kuroko’s opinion, Momoi-san was still single simply because no one was _worth_ of her. He valued their friendship greatly, which was the reason why he was currently rummaging through Momoi-san’s purse in search of her car keys.

Everyone was already passed out drunk when one of the phones on the table started vibrating, and Tetsuya picked it up upon realizing it belonged to Momoi-san. Murasakibara was less than pleased to hear Kuroko’s voice instead of her friend’s, and demanded to speak to Momoi-san in a familiar manner of hers that irked Tetsuya beyond imagination. He looked around the room and located Momoi’s heavily accessorized writs somewhere in the pile of bodies on the couch.

“I apologize, but extracting Momoi-san from under _both_ Aomine-kun and Sakurai-kun is impossible for me.”

Murasakibara whined. “Arara, Sacchin is drunk? She was supposed to pick me up from the airport... She _promised…_ How rude…”

Kuroko rolled his eyes at Murasakibara’s fake indifference that was meant to mask her desperation, but offered to pick her up in Momoi-san’s stead, regardless – it was the least he could do with his sobriety. Murasakibara teased him for not being drunk, mostly for appearances sake, but Tetsuya didn’t feel like explaining the medical reasons behind it if she couldn’t even offer an ounce of gratitude. He was about to head out, when Himuro suddenly grabbed his arm.

“I’m gonna be sick,” he announced shakily.

Kuroko sighed. “Perhaps you need some fresh air. I’m picking up Murasakibara-san form the airport, if you would like to accompany me.”

“I think I’d rather die in my own puke…” slurred Himuro.

He buried his face back in something that looked like the inside Takao-san’s knee with a soft whine, and Tetsuya couldn’t hold back a chuckle. Ever since patching things up with Midorima, Takao’s attitude toward Himuro radically changed and, all of the sudden, he became her “SBF” – straight best friend, in her own words. It was infinitely amusing to watch Himuro-kun carefully accept her unprecedented friendliness, while constantly anticipating a sneak attack.

“You’re being dramatic again, Himuro-kun,” decided Kuroko. “Murasakibara-san simply has an odd way of showing affection.”

Himuro scoffed. “ _You_ have a weird way of showing affection, Kuroko. _She_ plainly hates my guts. You know what? I _am_ going with you. I’m gonna tell her I hate her too. That’s what I’m gonna do, help me get up.”

“Sometimes I think you have a death wish,” muttered Tetsuya, helping Himuro to his feet. “You do realize it’s only the alcohol giving you an illusion of bravery, yes?”

Himuro giggled, hiccupping. “Awww, but you’ll be there to _protect_ me~ You’d make Taiga sad if you let me die…”

Kuroko didn’t grace it with a reply, and simply instructed Himuro not to soil Momoi-san’s car in any way, because _he_ would be the one to personally kill him. The beginning of the drive was quiet, with Himuro-kun sticking his head out of the window like a dog, and greedily inhaling the revitalizing air, which Tetsuya was sure to use later for blackmailing purposes. When it became too cold to keep the widow open, Himuro turned his head to Kuroko and sniffled.

“Don’t tell Takao I said that but I’m so happy Midorima quit,” he confessed, his voice audibly emotional. “I’m so happy I could join this band and hang out with everyone... I love you guys…”

Tetsuya didn’t even bother stopping the reflexive eye-roll. Kagami-kun often warned him not to be alone with intoxicated Himuro, because he was a sappy and embarrassing drunk once he felt there was enough privacy for him to let out all his repressed feelings, but Kuroko never believed it could be that bad – he was clearly mistaken. He was grateful for the seatbelts limiting Himuro’s mobility, because he would surely attempt physical contact with Tetsuya.

“Although I can only speak for myself, I am sure everyone feels the same, Himuro-kun,” he managed despite his discomfort.

Himuro sniffled again. “Everyone except Atsushi…”

Kuroko was surprised and alarmed by an actual sadness and longing in his companion’s voice, and instantly wished he could just throw Himuro-kun out of the car to his death, which would be a mercy kill, in all honesty. Just when Tetsuya thought all the romantic drama was behind them, allowing the band to finally fully focus on their work, Himuro just _had to_ get a crush on the only person who genuinely hated him, of course. Kuroko let out a deep, resigned sigh.

“So that’s how it is…” he muttered. “You don’t dislike Murasakibara-san at al…”

“I can’t help it,” whined Himuro immediately. “She’s literally _the worst,_ I know that. Lazy, and awful, and _so mean,_ and the only reason why she isn’t getting fat from all the junk food she eats is because she _beats people._ But every time she looks at me like I’m dirt I get all tingly and shit! Maybe I do have a death wish…”

Tetsuya suspected that half the reason for Himuro’s hopeless crush was _spite,_ because he just couldn’t stand making it easy for people who disliked him, and what could be possibly worse for Murasakibara than having Himuro _like_ her, in spite of her obvious hostility. He knew that didn’t make absolutely any sense, but this train of thought was the only way for Kuroko not to feel _sorry_ for Himuro, who didn’t need his pity, but his help.

Unfortunately, he had no idea _how_ to help, especially considering that Himuro’s predicament made him even more uncomfortable than any other of his friends. To avoid dealing with the issue at hand, he would gladly devote himself to helping Kise-kun and Takao-san with their problems with respecting their partners’ boundaries, or even to curing Aomine-kun’s general romantic ineptitude, which was virtually an impossible feat.

He was oddly grateful when their finally reached the airport, where Murasakibara-san was already waiting. She was wearing her usual stormy expression, which only intensified when she noticed an additional passenger. Stubbornly silent, she placed her baggage in the trunk and flopped on the backseat of the car, childishly ignoring their presence altogether. Tetsuya watched Himuro swallow thickly, as he glared at his own knees.

“What is Muro-chin doing here?” snapped Murasakibara finally.

“I don’t know, perhaps you should ask him,” said Kuroko flatly. “He’s sitting right here.”

Murasakibara only scoffed and crossed her arms on her chest, turning her head to face the window. Himuro clenched his jaw, but stayed silent, so Tetsuya looked in the rearview mirror in order to gauge Murasakibara’s reaction further. A faint blush was covering her cheeks, as she kept sneaking glances at Himuro, looking as if she was struggling with the urge to speak to him, and everything became crystal clear all of the sudden.

Despite Kuroko using this argument only to appease Himuro most of the time, Murasakibara _did_ have an odd way of showing affection. Even Momoi-san, who was the closest to a friend Murasakibara-san had, was often subjected to aggression or indifference, because that’s just how Murasakibara _was_ – everyone had their own defense mechanisms, and Tetsuya suspected that she had more than a few reasons to be wary of people, who frequently judged a book by the cover.

Nevertheless, Kuroko was tired of unnecessary drama. He wanted the peace and quiet he had before all the commotion started by Kise-kun unceremoniously barging into the band’s life, followed by Aomine-kun suddenly discovering he had a heart but having no idea how to use it, and Midorima-san selfishly quitting only to be replaced by useless Himuro-kun. If Kuroko sounded bitter and hostile, well… _He_ was responsible for the first link in the chain reaction, and he hated to admit it.

“This is ridiculous,” he decided, more annoyed than necessary. “Get out, both of you.”

When neither of his passengers moved an inch, only gaping at him incredulously, Tetsuya unbuckled Himuro-kun himself, and started to push him out of the car. Murasakibara only left the vehicle to help out Himuro, who pathetically landed on his butt in his general drunken incapability, which only proved Kuroko’s suspicions. He rolled down the window, and pointed an accusatory finger at Murasakibara, who was visibly losing her patience.

“You like him. He likes you. Talk it out. You have a long way home, so I expect you both to have everything sorted out by tomorrow. No. More. Drama.”

His plan was to simply drive away and go back to Kise-kun’s apartment, where his boyfriend was sleeping soundly, unaware of Kuroko preventing another romantic disaster before it had the chance to happen. His plan was to cuddle up to Kagami-kun and sleep the rest of the night just as soundly, comforted by his own resourcefulness, and wake up to a peaceful life he was used to. He was already almost out of the parking lot when he came back to his senses.

If he carried out his plan, there wouldn’t be any peace and quiet for him anymore, because he would be killed, brutally – of that he was sure. He could see in the rearview mirror that neither Himuro nor Murasakibara changed their positions, not even looking at each other, let alone making a conversation, and he knew that Murasakibara would _never_ forgive him. Swallowing, he turned the car back around, and shakily opened the passenger door.

“That was incredibly irresponsible of me to do. I implore you to spare my life, Murasakibara-sama.”

Murasakibara scoffed magnanimously. “Arara, if Kuro-chin is drunk, maybe I should drive...”

“I am on a very strong medication,” blurted out Tetsuya. “I have no idea how I even got here.”

All Murasakibara did in response was to raise an eyebrow, and Kuroko sighed out in relief. He was about to get out of the car to let her drive, when he noticed a sudden movement in the corner of his eye, and fixed his gaze on the rearview mirror. Himuro-kun, undoubtedly alcohol-brave, was pinning surprised Murasakibara to the side of the car, and standing on his tiptoes due to the slight height difference, and Tetsuya felt like he shouldn’t be watching that.

But he couldn’t help the anxious curiosity about Murasakibara-san’s reaction. She was completely still for the first few seconds after Himuro kissed her, but her hands eventually reached for his neck. Kuroko wanted to shut his eyes, because he wasn’t ready to watch his boyfriend’s cousin get his head torn off, but he just kept staring until he was certain that Murasakibara kissed back, and her fingers were clenched around Himuro-kun’s hair, not his trachea.

The ride back was surely going to be exceptionally awkward but… at least no more drama.


End file.
